← Victory Church: Paul Daugherty
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- [00:03]
Pastor Paul
All right. If you got a Bible, go to Genesis 37. Whoo. Come on. We shout for the first scripture in the word of God. Are y' all ready for the word this morning? I have been loving studying the character of Jacob in the Bible. He is a very complicated man. He is the father of 12 sons that came from four different women. He had four different baby mamas. If you thought your relationships and life was dysfunctional and messy, Jacob beats all of us, mostly. And Jacob not only had 12 sons from four different women, but they were all living in the same house. And that's also kind of a recipe for a lot of dysfunction and sibling rivalry and wife rivalry and frustrating. And by the way, God is not, like, supportive of polygamy, okay? God was not making this plan happen. This was man's way of trying to figure out what God wanted to do. But nonetheless, God used even Jacob's mistakes, even the flaws of this family God would work through. I'm so glad God can still work through our flaws. Like, one thing we learn about Jacob is that God uses messy people. And God is not intimidated by your mess or your dysfunctions or your flaws. God can still work in you. God chose Jacob. God chose Israel. Even though he didn't approve of every single decision that Israel and Jacob would do. Still to this day, that does not mean he still has not chosen them. Right. And God chooses you. Even though he doesn't support every single decision you do. God chooses you. I'm so glad God still chooses me even when I don't choose him, that God is still faithful even when I'm faithless, even when Israel would run from God and do things they shouldn't have done, God would still pursue them. And so we've been talking about Jacob and his family tree and his story, and today we're going to pick up on the sibling rivalry between all of the brothers and one specific son. And his name is Joseph. So Genesis 37, verse 1. Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan. And this is the account of Jacob's family line. Joseph, a young man of 17. Any 17 year olds in the house today? Where's the 17 year olds at? Make some noise. Come on. Super pumped about being 17. All right, let me just say this. One thing we learn in Scripture is that God says, do not despise your youth. Do not despise your age. Do not think that God cannot use you at a young age or an old age. God is about to deposit a dream for the nations in a 17 year old God wants to awaken dreams in the young people that will impact the nations. God wants you to have a dream that's bigger than you. Everybody say the dream is bigger than you. And so Joseph starts dreaming. He starts dreaming with God. And I want to title this message. Really, it comes from verse 19. Skip to verse 19. His brothers get really jealous of him, really frustrated with him. And they say in verse 19, here comes that dreamer. And I want to title this message, here comes the dreamer. Everybody say, here comes the dreamer. Nothing makes the devil more mad and more threatened than than when God's people start dreaming with God's heartbeat. People who dare to dream that God has a plan for their life that could impact the world. Joseph starts dreaming with God at age 17. And by the way, all of us in this room should start dreaming with God right now. You don't have to be 17 to start dreaming. You could start dreaming with God when you're 12. You could keep dreaming with God when you're 90. Jacob kept dreaming with God even when he was 100 years old. You're never too old to dream. You're never too young to dream. You're never too poor to dream. You're never too rich to dream. You're never too whatever it is that you would try to say. I can't dream because I didn't come from this kind of family. Stop despising the dream that God wants to build in your life. Proverbs 29:18 says, where there is no vision, no dream, people settle for anything. People cast off restraint. People become complacent when they don't have a dream. What is a dreamer? When they said, here comes the dreamer. A dreamer. The definition of a dreamer is someone who sees something in their heart and moves towards it to make it a reality. Like a dreamer is not just someone who's imagining ideas, it's someone who's moving towards a vision. You get a vision on the inside and you begin to run towards that dream. So Joseph was getting a dream from God. What is a God dream? A dream from God is a dream that can only be achieved with God's help. If you could do it on your own, it's not a God dream. Everybody say this is a God dream. If it's a God dream, it will have God's peace. If it's a God dream, it will honor God's word. When people tell me, dude, I got a God dream and I'm like, okay, tell me what it is. And they're like, God wants me to start a strip club. I'm like, that's not a God dream. Okay? That's not a God. It will honor everybody. Say it will honor God's word. God gave me a dream. I'm gonna sell a bunch of alcohol, get everybody drunk. I'm like, that's not a God dream, okay? A God dream is going to honor God's word. If it's a God dream, it will bring God glory. If it's a dream from God, what we're going to learn from Joseph's dream as the son of Jacob, the dream that God put inside of him was not a dream to bring Joseph glory. It wasn't a dream to make Joseph a multimillionaire and this big success story so he gets all the spotlight. It was all about bringing God glory. It was about pointing people back to God. If it's a God dream, it won't be easy. It's gonna take work. It's gonna take work. It won't be easy. By the way, in scripture, God rebukes the spirit of laziness more than he rebukes drunkenness. Like laziness is on the top of the list of sins. Like God says, listen, if you wanna do something that's going to be worth it, it's gonna take work. And God doesn't reward a lazy, sluggish like, I just wanna sleep all day and play video games and not put any work towards this. The dream from God is going to require work. If it's a God dream, it will need God's help. If it's a God dream, it will need a God team. You're looking at a God team around you right here. Come on. There's no team that's better than the Victory dream team. God's team in this house. God doesn't want us fulfilling our dreams in isolation. God doesn't want us fulfilling our dreams all by ourselves. Self made. No. God wants you to rely on brothers and sisters in Christ that will help you. Iron, sharpening iron. If it's a God dream, it will have God's provision. Something my dad used to say when I was younger is where God guides, he provides. Where God directs, He protects. So when it's a God dream, it's going to have God's provision. But maybe more importantly in this chapter, if it's a God dream, there will be adversity, there will be adversity. Jesus told his disciples in John 16, he said, in this world you will have trouble. I've told you these things because adversity is Coming. Trouble is coming. It's not like when it will. It's not if it will happen, it's when it will. It is inevitable. But take heart. I have overcome the world. Greater is he that lives in you than he that is in this world. So let's pick up on Joseph's dream and the adversity that starts to stir. In verse two, it says Joseph was 17 years old. And immediately Joseph kind of sets off on the wrong foot. He sees his brothers making mistakes and he goes and tells his dad he's a little bit of a tattletale. He's like, dad, you know those other sons of yours, not me, the other ones, they're doing things they shouldn't do. They're getting into trouble. Just thought you should know so you can give them a spanking later on, you know, no more screen time for these siblings. Like, Joseph was a little bit of a tattletale. And so that already kind of stirred up frustration. But then in verse three, it says now Israel. By the way, who's Israel? Jacob. The Bible interchanges the name Israel and Jacob all often like Jacob is. Is who he is in one sentence and Israel is who he is in another sentence. And all this is just to remind you that God loves you on your worst day and your best day. God loves you when you look good, and God loves you when you look rough. God loves you when you got it all together, and God loves you when you don't have anything together. God loves you when you are a mess, and God loves you when you look your best. My daughter loves that song, I'm so blessed. I'm so blessed. And she always sings that one line. On my worst day, I. I'm a child of God and I'm a best day. I don't know the words, but that's the. That's the point right here, is that even when Israel is not living for God, God still loves him. Now it says Israel showed favoritism to Joseph, loved Joseph more than any of his other sons. Let me say something, parents. This is an important moment to remember. We can either stir up the sibling rivalry or we can bring a sense of unity in the family. 1. When we make one child the object of all of our affection, and we go, this is the best child. This is my favorite child. I love this child more than like, Jacob was kind of setting Joseph up to be hated simply by showing him all this love. Not only that, it says that Jacob made an ornate robe for him. One translation says it was made of many colors. A Technicolor. This morning I thought about wearing a rainbow coat to show. But then I was like, that might send mixed signals in the church. Like an Elton John rainbow jacket. So today I got a different kind of jacket. This is my Joseph coat. Here. I'm gonna put this on. Yeah, I'm gonna pop some tags. Oh, my God. $20 in my pocket. Just kidding. But here's the point, okay? Stop wearing church, okay? I can feel the jealousy in the room right now. You're like, why did he get that coat? Why does Joseph get that coat? Why don't I get that coat? I can feel the envy. When the brothers saw that coat and they saw their father's love, they hated him even more. They could not speak a kind word to him. Whose coat is living rent free in your head? Whose car, whose house, whose life, whose girlfriend, whose boyfriend? Whose perfect Instagram profile? With all their perfect pictures and their perfect kids and their perfect smile and their perfect hair and their perfect life? Who is stirring up disdain in your heart? Whose coat is living rent free in your head? Like these brothers, they could not get past not just the coat. It was something about Joseph, this dreamer, this guy. Beware of signs of hatred and betrayal. One thing I've learned by ministering to these guys in prison is that crimes don't start on the outside. Crimes start on the inside. Before these brothers would commit an external crime, they already started to develop hatred on the inside. Before Cain would kill Abel, God looks at Cain and he says, I see you staring at your brother Abel, and I see what's building in your heart. Sin is crouching at the door of your heart, Cain. You don't have to give in to these feelings of hatred towards another person. But I think some of the initial signs, and I think this is important for us to watch out for, is this initial sign of resentment. The second you start resenting somebody, resenting what they have, resenting their coat, resenting their car, resenting their status, resenting them. Resentment is this internal, just disdain towards someone. I just don't like this guy. Don't like this girl. And then secondly, he says they refused to say a kind word. When you can't even say one kind word. Encouragement is free. It doesn't cost you anything. But these brothers, they couldn't say one kind word to Joseph. They were frustrated. Thirdly, they were frustrated with his favor. When you find yourself just getting frustrated, why did they get favor? Why did they get this? Why did they keep having kids? Why did he get married before? Why did she get Married. Why is this hap. Why are they experiencing God's favor? The brothers were frustrated with Joseph's favor. Why does he look like his life is perfect? Why does it look like he never has a bad day? Why does it look like he is so loved and he is so confident? And when someone else's confidence makes you feel. Feel inferior, it's not their fault. It's your fault. When someone's aura just bothers you and you go, man, this feels harsh. This is what happened in the New Testament with the Pharisees towards Jesus. Now, Jesus wasn't wearing this weird coat. I'm gonna take this coat off. This is hot, okay? And I don't mean, like hot like. I mean, it's like, it's very sweaty, okay? But when Jesus started ministering, the Pharisees stared at him and they go, who do you think you are? Who do you think you are, walking in here preaching like this, doing miracles, coming into the temple, the Pharisees hardened their hearts. The brothers of Joseph hardened their hearts. And by the way, Joseph was not perfect. Joseph was flawed just like you and me. We got to be careful that we don't make characters in the Bible out to be perfect. None of them are perfect except Jesus. None of them are the hero in the story except for Jesus. None of us are the heroes in this story. We're all the villains. We're all the ones that need God's mercy. How many y' all are still in need of God's mercy in your life? God's still working on you like you're not the hero of the story. Only Jesus can save us. But in this moment, Joseph represents a shadow, a type of what Jesus is in the New Testament. And the brothers, they hardened their hearts. And the second you hardened your heart against someone, it's only a matter of time. The ultimate act of jealousy and hatred is murder, that jealousy that started brooding on the inside. In verse five, it says, joseph had a dream. Everybody say, Joseph had a dream. And when he told his brothers his dream, they hated him all the more. There was something about the dreams of Joseph that stirred up hatred and jealousy. And he says, listen, brothers, I love Joseph's naivety and a little bit of just immaturity. He's like, listen, Broski's. I had this dream that I had this, like, we were all bringing in the harvest. And my harvest, my sheaf rose to the top, and all of yours bowed down towards mine. What do you think about that, brothers? As he's wearing the coat, the Bible says, The brothers were so like, I'm laughing at Joseph and his mom, like, bro, stop. But he doesn't stop. He has another dream. In verse nine, it says he had another dream. He's like, hey, bros, I know you hate me, but I had another dream. And this time the sun, the moon, and the stars were bowing down to me. And again, you gotta be careful who you share your dream with. Be careful not to cast your pearls before swine. But also be careful not to cast your swine before pearls. Sometimes dreams need to be held on the inside. Sometimes dreams need to be laid at the altar. Sometimes dreams need to be reserved for a select few. Like Joseph is still a Jedi. A young Jedi in training. He's still learning. A lot of people want to be discovered, but few people want to be developed. And what Joseph is going to understand is that dreams need development. Dreams are not always just ready like a microwave, like you put them in for 15 seconds and then it's ready to go. It's going to take time. Everybody say it's going to take time. It's going to take time. And when it's taking time, the room you're sitting in was a dream in my Dad's heart for 20 seconds, years before it was open. 1981, Victory Church started. God gives my dad a dream. And in this dream, it was about one day opening a worship center with thousands of seats and packed altars and a room that would be debt free. And we would build it on a cash basis. And it was this powerful dream. And then it took 26 years for that dream to come to pass. And here's what the Bible says in Proverbs. Hope deferred makes the heart sick. The enemy knows if he can hit you with delay after delay after delay, he can get you to give up on the dream. Today we sit in a room that's not only debt free, but this entire ministry is debt free. We don't owe a penny to the bank on Dream Center Camp Victory, Victory Bible College, Victory Christian School, the church, y'.
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Worship Leader
All.
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Pastor Paul
That's a miracle. That's a God dream. This is a God dream. But God dreams are tested. John 10:10. Jesus says, the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. And what's going to happen in Joseph's dreams is that the enemy is going to come to try to steal his dream. Let me talk to you for a moment about dream stealers. Some of the dream stealers that show up in Joseph's life and that will show up in our lives are delays. So the enemy will hit you with delays. If he can't. If he can't get you frustrated to give up on the dream with the delays, he'll hit you with distractions. Like when Nehemiah was rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and rebuilding the city that was in ruins. He sends Tobias and Sand Ballot and they try to distract him. Like, come down from that wall. You shouldn't love Israel, you shouldn't love Jerusalem. And so there was distractions to give up on the dream. And the enemy is in no hurry to take your life out if he can just take your dream out. So he'll hit you. And if he can't distract you, he'll discourage you. He'll discourage you. The Bible calls the devil the accuser of the brethren. So he'll hit you with accusations. You're unworthy, you're too young, you're unqualified, you're the wrong person. You're not even the right sibling birth order to have a dream. You don't have enough money, nobody likes you, Joseph, everybody's mad at you. And so he'll hit you with discouraging words. And what is the devil trying to do? He's trying to steal your dream. He'll get you to feel numb. So you're physically here, but you're mentally checked out. You're physically like your body is at the dinner table, but your mind and emotions are checked out. You are mentally and emotionally disengaged. You've died on the inside. You're still breathing, but you're not here. How many people in the church have stopped dreaming? How many people in your family have stopped dreaming? Paula can't afford to dream. We're just trying to survive right now. AI is about to take all of our jobs and I'm just trying to make it. And by the way, God never builds dreams with fear. He builds dreams with faith. This is an hour for the church to rise up with faith. But what the devil will try to do is stir up fear, anxiety, despising your dream, a loss of hope, pain. You've buried someone. Just because you buried someone doesn't mean you have to bury your dream. Just because, like Joseph lost his mom. How painful is that? A 17 year old loses his mom. Rachel died two chapters before this when Joseph was like 11 years old. He loses his mom. And when you lose your mom, that's a painful thing. When I lost my dad, I mean, it was painful. Burying my dad was painful. I'm so thankful my mom is still alive, sitting on the front row and she is Cheering me on, I mean, so grateful for the legacy of my mom and dad. I wouldn't be here today without her. But you think about how the devil tries to ride on the disappointments and the pain of life all to steal your dream. It gets you comparing your life. Well, you don't have what he has, you don't have what she has, you don't have enough. And all of these are sent to try to steal the dream. Why do you need a God dream? Why does all of us, why does God want all of us in this room to be dreaming with him? A God dream gives life to something that was once dead or, or dormant in your life. God wants to give a prophetic vision and revelation that stirs up life on the inside of you. God's dream gives boldness to be who God made you to be. When you get a dream from God, it gives you an extra level of confidence and boldness. God's dream gives purpose to the pain that you walk through. People who have a vision, a dream from God are able to endure a whole lot more pain and trials because they see something they're moving to towards. God's dream gives grace for whatever you face. God's dream gives creativity to supersede the circumstances. One thing we learned from Joseph's story is that God starts dreaming with Joseph about how to save the world in a famine. And it stirs up innovation, it stirs up ingenuity, it stirs up creativity. Joseph starts figuring out ways to save to prepare for the seven years where the whole world is, is going to be coming to knock on his door to find food. By the way, the dream that God has for you is not just about you. It's about the people that God wants to reach through you. Like these teenagers that are going on a mission trip. It's a dream for some of them to go on their first mission strip. It's been a dream for some of them to get to this place. But the dream is not just about you. The dream is about what God wants to do through you. The dream is bigger than you ever say. The dream is bigger than you. God's dream gives hope during hollow, slow and difficult days. God's dream gives value to his unique calling on your life. Whether you are a janitor, a mechanic, an engineer, a teacher, a coach, a pastor, a stay at home mom, stay at home dad, Whatever you do, God wants you to do it with a dream in your heart that this is not just a job, this is a ministry. This is an assignment. This is a Ministry, mission. God's dream gives provision to you and through you. So as Joseph is getting these dreams from God, it kind of begs the question, how do I get a dream from God? How do you get a dream from God? Six questions to ask yourself. How to find God's dream for you? How do you find God's dream for your life? Number one, you should ask yourself, am I seeking God? You can't get a dream from God if you're not seeking God. Like that's the first step is start seeking God. The fact that you're at church is a sign that you're like man. I want to know God. I want to know God's plan for my life. I want to hear his voice. I want to spend time in worship. I want to open up my Bible and my journal. And I want the Holy Spirit to speak to me. Are you seeking God? The second question to ask yourself in finding God's dream for your life is, have I asked God what his dream is for my life? It sounds so simple, but it's a question that very few people sit down and ask. Then listen, God, what is your dream for my life? What do you want to do with my life? How do you want to use me in my teenage years? How do you want to use me in my 20s? What do you want to do through me in my 30s? Have I sat down and asked that question? Number three, what has God gifted me to do? What are the gifts and the talents that God has put? There are gifts and talents in this room that are so unique. There are things that God has gifted you to do that I could never do, that will build his journey church in ways that I could never build, that will advance his kingdom in ways I could never advance. Someone asked me this last week. They said, do you think Elon Musk is the greatest leader of our generation? I said, no. I said, I think he's probably one of the richest. But don't confuse riches for great leadership. Don't confuse titles for great leadership. There are people who carry title like president, CEO, billionaire. That doesn't mean that they are a model for healthy, integral leadership. The way God looks at leadership is, are they living for God? Are they carrying characteristics that resemble the heart of Jesus for their generation? Just because someone makes a ton of money doesn't mean that they are the model for leadership. And so God has anointed many of you in this room to do what Elon Musk is doing, but to do it with a heart for Jesus and to share God's Love and to be creative and to and be unique and have witty ideas and inventions that could change the world. God was dreaming with Joseph. God wants to dream with you. Number four. The fourth question to ask yourself is, what makes my heart sing? What wakes you up? I remember sitting as a kid watching this movie called Hercules. Y' all remember Hercules zero to hero, just like that. And there was this one moment in Hercules, I'm sitting there and I was like really into it. And this guy, he comes walking through the fields and he's like, I have often dreamed of a far off place where a hero's welcome will be waiting for me. I'm gonna keep singing. I forget the rest of the words. I will find my way. I can go the distance. I'll be there someday if I can be strong. I know how I picked way too high of a key to sing this song into. But here's the point. Here's the point, y'.
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Worship Leader
All.
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Pastor Paul
Hercules understood there was a dream inside of him that was worth going the distance for. And I'm sitting there and I go, God, I want a dream that is worth going the distance every mile and the extra miles. See, when you have a dream from God, it gives you a reason to keep living. There are so many people that are just surviving, but God wants you to thrive. God wants you to be fully alive with a dream that he puts in your heart. And this begs the question, what makes your heart sing? What gets you out of bed? What makes you passionate number five? What breaks my heart, what makes me cry, what makes me mad, what makes me hurt? When you see foster kids aging out of the foster care system, when you see teenagers struggling addicted to pornography, Paul, it breaks my heart seeing how many
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Congregation Member
15, 14 year old boys are addicted to pornography.
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Pastor Paul
Good. I'm glad it breaks your heart because that's what God has anointed you to do, to go and mentor those teenagers to go serve in the youth group. Paul, it breaks my heart seeing no volunteer serving in the children's church we need. Instead of just talking about what breaks your heart, get involved with what breaks your heart. Because that's the God dream. The God dream is connected to what breaks your heart. Paul, Breaks my heart seeing people trafficked and sold into child trafficking, that's the God dream. God's stirring a dream. And you know, Paul, it breaks my heart seeing people not be able to go on missions because they don't have enough money. And if more business people walked in generosity, we could pay off that $13,000 like, good, that's What God's trying to do, he's trying to birth a God dream in your heart. Rather than sit around complaining about what other people need to do. The thing that makes you cry is the thing that God created you for. God says that's the dream. Here comes the dreamers. And then number six. How can I use my gifts, my resources and my passion to meet the need that's breaking my heart? Joseph's dream was big. Joseph's dream was going to save the world, but it first had to go through a process. Dreams have to go through a process of development. Dreams have to not just be tested, but dreams have to be protected in the process. How do you protect your dream when there's so many people trying to kill your dream, trying to steal your dream? You protect your dream through prayer. There's something powerful about prayer that when I begin to pray in my known language and in the spirit, when I pray, I'm not just praying for what I know right now. I'm praying. Lord, I pray this over my kids every day because my kids are part of the dream. So I'm going, God, I pray, Lord, that you would help today be a great day for Liam, Benaiah, Mack, Ellie, John and God. I pray, Lord, that you would lead us and direct our steps. And God, I pray we would be in the right place. Lord, I pray that we would be clothed with the full armor of God, a helmet of salvation, breastplate. Lord, I pray that you would protect us today, that your angels watch over us. By the way, are you praying over your life? Prayer is powerful. Prayer is one of the greatest weapons in the church and so many people. We would rather spend time scrolling on social media, mindlessly wasting our time than spending time in prayer, which actually builds up your spirit. Friends, we should spend less time scrolling and more time praying, more time kneeling, more time in his presence. This is where dreams are protected. This is where dreams are birthed. This is where dreams are shaped. This is where dreams are cultivated. So not just through prayer, but through discernment. Who do you tell? Be careful telling everyone. I remember one time God gave me a dream the night my dad passed away. I shared it with my wife and she goes, don't tell anyone else. I said, why? She goes, I don't want you to be sold as a slave to Egypt like Joseph. Keep that dream to yourself. She was looking out for me. Because not every dream is meant to be shared with everyone all the time. You're not supposed to just post every dream on TikTok on Instagram. Whatever, Facebook, like God wants you to keep that. There's times where you need to keep that dream inside and then you need to keep that dream at the altar. Bring that dream to the altar. Say, God, this is yours to cultivate. And so we protect our dream through prayer, through discernment, and through our words speaking life. By the way, don't just speak life over your dreams, speak life over other people's dreams. When other people share a dream with you, don't go, well, that's never going to happen. You'll never get married. You miss the window. You'll never have kids. Kids, you'll never be a millionaire. Like, you'll never start that company, you'll never build that ministry. That'll never happen. Like, those words hurt and they stay with people for a long time. Bullying is at an all time high in our nation right now. Why add to the criticism? Some people go, well, I don't want to encourage someone because I'm going to build up their ego. I don't want Joseph getting a big head thinking he's really a great leader. People have enough critics in their life. People need encouragers. Which leads me to my next point. Your dream needs a dream team. Your dream needs a dream team. Who is the dream team? The dream team are a group of people in your life that are going to help you fulfill the dream that God has for you. So your dream team is going to be made up of encouragers. These are people that will just speak life into what God is speaking. They're going to speak hope. They're not going to try to critique and do all. They're just going to encourage. They're going to speak life. And then you need prayer. Prayer partners. I want to be a prayer partner for your dream. If you will bring your dream to the altar at victory, I will pray with you. If you go, Paul, I am praying to get married one day. I'm praying. We're praying to have kids. We've been told by doctors we'll never. I'm praying that I'll get a college scholarship to oru. Good, give me like, let me pray with your dream. There is power in the, the agreement of prayer. And so if I can get agreement with you if you come in, Paul, I'm starting a company. I'm about to launch this new product. I'm about to get the patent on this. Like, we've got people in our church that are inventing stuff and it's crazy and I love that I get to be a part of praying with them. To be a part of seeing that dream come to pass. Your dream needs prayer partners, and your dream needs encouragers, and your dream needs mentors. These are people who can give you wisdom, and they will rebuke you at times in a healthy way, like Joseph's dad. It's interesting. When Joseph says his second dream, his dad looks at him, he says, joseph, I rebuke you. I rebuke you. He says, this dream that you had, are you sure? Like, but. And his brothers hated Joseph for the dream. But the Bible says in verse 11, his father kept the dream in his heart. His father held on to what his son was saying. In other words, he said, I think you got something. I think God's given you a dream, but I think it's going to need to be vetted and tested and protected and laid at the altar. And you need to be developed, Joseph, because the way the dream's coming out right now is coming out very immature. But I do believe God has something for you. I'm thankful for the fathers in my life that pull me to the side and go, paul, I love you. I love what's stirring in your heart. But the way it's coming out, the way that you're going about it, there's better. I've seen pitfalls connected to this. There's people who've walked the path. And then the fourth part of the dream team is the church. And I'm so thankful for Victory Church because this is a place where dreams can be. Y', all. This is like the dream house right here. This is the place where dreams can be built, prayed over, launched, where broken dreams can be restored, where broken hearts can be healed. This is like. This is the place where community, accountability, the word of God, faith, the presence of God, worship and prayer, it all culminates in you fulfilling the dream that God has for you. And so Joseph is with his dad, it says in verse 12. And his dad told him, he said, listen, your brothers have gone to take care of the flocks. And Jacob says to Joseph in verse 13, I want you to go and help your brothers. I'm sending you to serve. I'm sending you to serve. These words would echo in Joseph's mind for the rest of his life. I've been sent to serve. I've been sent to serve. Dominican Republic I've been sent to serve the teenagers of Victory. I've been sent to serve the children of this house. I've been sent. Everybody say, I've been sent to serve. Friends, the greatest title we will ever get is not well done, Thou good and faithful CEO. Well done, Thou good and faithful mother or father. Those are great titles. The greatest title you will ever get is not well done, thou good and faithful pastor or coach or teacher or husband or wife. The greatest title is well done. Now good and faithful servant. I've been sent. Everybody say, I've been sent to serve. So he says, I want you to go and serve your brothers. Check up on them, see what they need. Help them out as Joseph is going to serve. As Jesus was sent to the world to serve, Joseph didn't realize he was walking into a trap. It was a set setup. And so Joseph is heading to go and serve his brothers. And it says in verse 18, when the brothers of Joseph saw him coming, before he even reached them, they begin to plot how they could kill their brother. This is the ultimate act of hatred and jealousy. In verse 19, they said, Here comes that dreamer. Come on now, brothers. In verse 20, let's kill him. Let's throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams. My last set of points. I know I've given you like a hundred points today, but let me. Let me give you my last set of points. Dreams must be tested. And the test of your dreams will determine if the dreams really are from God. They must be tested by prayer. They must be tested by the word of God. They must be tested by wise counsel. And probably the biggest one that we see in the story of Joseph. His dreams must be tested by adversity. Greatness is not developed in a day. Greatness is developed daily. Big destinies require big character. And big character has to go through big adversity first. Peter, chapter one says, do not be surprised by the fiery trials that have come against you. These trials have come to prove the genuineness of. Of your faith. Joseph, Paul, the trials you're walking through are a part of the process to fulfilling the dream. Every God dream will be tested with adversity. And while you walk through this adversity, Ashley, can I borrow your wedding ring for a second? Will you give it up for my beautiful wife? Ashley? I love you so much. You're amazing. So this. This diamond right here, look like this when it was first discovered. A diamond in the rough is rough. A diamond in the rough has not gone through the process that's going to make it shiny and pretty and beautiful. Pearls before they're pearls. There's this intense process for diamonds and pearls, for anything that's going to be beautiful. It goes through a process. And diamonds have to go through a cutting process, a heat, a very intense heat, high pressure, high density that then begins to cultivate and sharpen and form the diamond that we see today. And in the same way God says, I'm shaping your character and I'm preparing you. These trials have come to prove the genuineness of the dream that I've placed inside you. And little did Joseph know that he was about to go go into the school of adversity, the school of brokenness. Very few students enroll in this school. But those who do go on to be kings and leaders, like Joseph and David. Those who do go on to be disciples of Jesus, like Peter, James and John. Those who enroll into the school of adversity, the school of brokenness. They say, God, I don't believe you sent the pain, but I believe you're using the pain to prepare in me a character and integrity, a heart that is completely dependent on you. God, I'm not perfect, but I want you to purify my heart. Make me more like you. Joseph was learning in this moment while his brothers grabbed him. In verse 23, they grabbed Joseph and they stripped him of his robe. One of the brothers tried to stop it. He. He said, don't, don't kill him. Just throw him in a pit. Don't kill him, just throw him in a pit. They strip him of his robe, they throw him into the cistern. The Bible says that the brothers, they literally were mocking him. Hey, dreamer, let's see what happens now. As they're mocking him, they strip him of his robe, they throw him in a pit. And the cistern was empty and there was no water in it. Joseph was at the bottom of a 30 foot empty water well. Verse 25, as they sat to eat their meal. This is so crazy. They're eating a meal when they just betrayed their brother. They're eating a meal right after they committed such a heinous act. And this is what sin does. Sin hardens your heart, so you sit down to eat a burger. Right after you betrayed your wife, right after you betrayed your husband, right after you betrayed your parents, right after you looked at that junk, right after you did that stuff. You just go and sit down and have a sandwich. And like, this is what sin does. Sin messes us up. What's crazy is the same ones who betrayed him will one day come knocking on his door for mercy. And this is the good news of the New Testament. Even though we betray Jesus, Jesus still shows up to forgive us and give us grace. How many are thankful for the mercy and the grace of God? His mercies are new every morning. So they're sitting down, having a meal, and all of a sudden the Ishmaelite travelers come walking by as their brother is screaming in a cistern and they're eating sandwiches. And Judah, who would one day produce Jesus out of his tribe, would come David, Solomon, and then Joseph and Mary and Jesus. Judah says, hey, what will we gain if we just kill our brother and cover up our crime? Sell him. Let's sell him for silver. Judas sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. They sold Joseph for 20 pieces of silver. And so they sell him. And the brothers agree this is a good idea. So when the merchants came by, they sold their brother for silver. And then when Reuben came back, he said, where is Joseph? And they told him what happened. And then they got an idea. Here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna take Joseph's rope, the robe, the coat that made us so angry with him and frustrated with him, and we're gonna dip it in goat's blood. And then they take it to their father. And this is what the devil does. They don't tell a lie, but they present false evidence. They say, dad, is this Joseph's coat? And look at the blood that's on his coat. And we found it somewhere, right? And the father starts assuming, and they're going, yes, yes, yes. They're trying to lead him into misinformation. The devil knows the truth about you, but he tries to present half truths, false evidence, to say, you know you sinned. You know you're cursed for that sin. You know you're unworthy. What the devil doesn't realize is that once you wake up to the reality that you are the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus, what he did on that cross, the devil has no power with his false evidence that he has brought against you. But he waves that bloody coat. He tried to do this to Peter after Peter denied Jesus. And the rooster crowed three times, cock a doodle doo. The devil was waving that bloody coat. You're unworthy, Peter.
- [39:33]
Congregation Member
The dream is over.
- [39:35]
Pastor Paul
Your ministry is dead.
- [39:37]
Congregation Member
Joseph is dead.
- [39:39]
Pastor Paul
There's no future for you, Peter. You're done for. As Jacob is holding this blood coat, assuming it's all over, his ministry is over. Joseph is over. His hopes of the family all sitting together one day around the family table and having a beautiful meal together and holding his grandkids. It's all over.
- [39:58]
Congregation Member
It's Dead.
- [39:58]
Pastor Paul
And he weeps with this coat. Which coat will you carry in 2026? Which garment will you wear? Isaiah 61 says that he's given us the power to trade our garment of heaviness for a garment of praise. You don't have to carry that coat of depression. You don't have to carry that coat of hopelessness. You don't have to carry that. You don't have to bury your blessing just because you buried someone you loved. And by the way, stop having funerals for dreams that aren't dead. Stop having funerals for dreams that are not dead. Jacob is weeping over a dead son for 22 years. Jacob believes his son is dead 22 years. He actually tells his sons. He goes, don't comfort me. I don't want your comfort. I'm going to grieve till the day that I die. This is where I will stay for the rest of my life. I'm gonna hold this coat and I'm gonna live in despair and grief. And I'll never get married again. And I'll never have happiness again. And I'll never be joyous. I'm never gonna live the dream because it's done. How many people have given up on their future believing false evidence? The enemy wants you convinced. It's over. Joseph is dead. Joseph is dead. So while Jacob is having a funeral for a dream that's not dead, Joseph is in a caravan. I love this in the next verse, verse 36. This is maybe my favorite verse in the whole chapter. Meanwhile. Everybody say meanwhile. I love the movies where you think the main character is dead, but they're not really dead. Like in the movie Lion King, when Simba, like everyone at Pride Rock, thinks he's dead, but then Nala discovers he's not dead, right? And, like, Rafiki's like, you gotta go back. You gotta go face scar. And then Simba comes back and everyone's like, what? He's not dead. He's not dead.
- [41:51]
Congregation Member
He's alive.
- [41:52]
Pastor Paul
And then the movie the Count of Mon Cristo, when they. When the Count, they think he's been, like, exiled, he's dead, he's done. But then he comes back. I love those movies when the main character, like Marcus Aurelius on Gladiator. I know, I'm a movie guy. When Marcus Aurelius resurfaces through the hole and he ends up in the arena with the emperor. How many all know what I'm talking about. Or like when they buried Jesus in a tomb for three days and they said he's dead.
- [42:15]
Congregation Member
He's dead. He's dead. But on the third day. Come on. Joseph is not dead. Jesus is not dead. The story is not over. Your dream is not dead. Your ministry is not. Come on.
- [42:27]
Pastor Paul
Stand to your feet. All over this place, everybody say, the dream is not dead. The dream is not dead. I imagine Joseph right here in his mind. He's like, what is happening? What's happening to my dreams? He doesn't have his coat anymore. He now knows his brothers wanted to kill him the whole time. He now knows how bad they hated him. He's been sold as a slave in Joseph's mind. Please don't miss this most important part. I promise I'll dismiss you just a few minutes. In Joseph's mind, he has taken 10 steps away from his dream. In his mind, his dream was supposed to happen in that location with that family, with. With everyone there. And now he's being trafficked as a slave. He's a human. This is human trafficking. He's being trafficked as a slave to Egypt. In his mind, he's going backwards from the dream. Where? Those of you that know the Bible, where does Joseph end up becoming second in command next to Pharaoh, right? And where do his brothers come asking for help? The very country that he is headed to. Thinking that this is a backward step in his dream is exactly where God needed him to be. Everything you're walking through this is a word for someone in this room. Tulsa may not have been on your map, but it's on God's map. Victory Church may not have been on your map, but it's on God's map. This season of your life may not be what you thought your dream was supposed to look like, but God goes, this is exactly it, Joseph. This is exactly where I needed you to be for such a time as this, Esther. For such a. Like, God is positioning you. I know it looks like a setback, but it's a setup for a comeback. It's a setup for a. This setback is a setup for a comeback. The world's not ready to see the sons and daughters of God revealed. And so Joseph had to hold on to hope. And I want us just to bow our heads and close our eyes. I want to pray for people in the room. I want this altar to be an altar for people. You need hope. You need faith. You need healing. You need to dream with God again. Some of y' all have felt heartbroken. Some of you have walked through adversity that has caused you to stop dreaming, to stop holding on, to A dream. Some of you have lost that passion in your eye that you used to have about life. You're physically here, but you are mentally and emotionally numb. You have become complacent. And God is trying to wake up the dreamers today. He's trying to awaken the Josephs in the church. He's saying 2026 is not a year to sleep. This is not a year to just slumber. This is. This is not a year to give up on the. This is not a year to settle for mediocrity, to settle for laziness, to settle for complacency. This is a year to contend for the dream. This is a year to dare to dream with God. A dream that would impact the nations. Oh, Lord, I pray that Victory Church would raise up mighty men and women of God, young and old, that your young men and your young women and your old men and your old women
- [45:47]
Congregation Member
would dream dreams and. And have visions from God and walk
- [45:51]
Pastor Paul
in their prophetic anointing for such a time as this. I don't know who I'm preaching to, but I just said someone in the room. This is for you. And if God is speaking to you today, right now, would you just lift your hand up? God's talking to you. It's time to get your hope up. It's time to dream with him. It's time to walk in the prophetic dreams and anointing and the gifts that he's placed inside you. It's time to hear from God. What is he speaking to you in this season, for this hour, this generation. Generation. And secondly, you're here today and you say, paul, I need prayer. I need prayer. There are dreams in my heart that I have stopped dreaming, but I want to pull them back out. I want the Holy Spirit to awaken. In fact, if you raised your hand or you wanted to raise your hand, come and leave your seat, meet me at the altar. Let's just have a moment with God right now. Let's have a march moment with God. This is your moment. Bring your dreams to the altar. Bring your broken dreams to the altar. And let's cheer on brave men, brave women, young guys, young girls, moms and
- [46:44]
Congregation Member
dads, grandparents, grandmas, grandpas, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters. God says, I want you to dream for your family. I want you to dream for your legacy. I want you to dream for your business. I want you to dream for your city. I want you to dream for the nations, dream for America, dream for Iran, dream for Israel, dream for Russia, dream For China. Dream to reach the people that nobody's reaching. Dream for the foster care kids. Dream for the teenagers. Dream for the young adults. Dream for the women in this church. Dream for the men in this church. Stir up the dreams.
- [47:23]
Pastor Paul
God.
- [47:23]
Congregation Member
Lord, let us hear your voice. Let us say yes. God, we give you our yes.
- [47:29]
Pastor Paul
Let's just begin to worship him as
- [47:31]
Congregation Member
you come to this altar. Just surrender to the Holy Spirit. Lord, I pray for faith.
- [47:38]
Pastor Paul
I pray for hope.
- [47:39]
Congregation Member
I pray for peace. I pray for joy. God, I pray that you would awaken the streamers in this church. God's not finished yet, Jacob. God's not finished yet, Joseph. God's not finished yet. He's not finished with you yet. He's not finished with your story. He's not finished with your testimony. He's not finished with your dreams. He's not finished with your dreams. He still has your dreams. The dream is still alive. Oh, Lord, awaken the dreams. Awaken the dreams. Awaken the dreams.
- [48:20]
Pastor Paul
Moment, God.
- [48:21]
Congregation Member
I thank you, Lord, for a fresh dream. God, I pray, Lord, for faith. He's not done with you yet. He's not done with you yet. He's not done with your daughter. He's not done with your mother. He's not done with that dream inside your heart.
- [48:39]
Pastor Paul
He's not done with your dad.
- [48:47]
Congregation Member
Lord, I receive your vision.
- [48:55]
Worship Leader
Alive to come alive in the name of Jesus Come alive in the name of Jesus this is the house of miracle we bring everything Lord we bring everything to the feet of Jesus Everything in the name of Jesus this is a house of miracles Come alive, come alive in the name of Jesus Jesus Come alive in the name of Jesus this is the house of you. God I believe you're working all things for God and I'll fix my eyes on him God I receive your vision God I believe you're working all things for God I still believe I still believe you're moving I still believe I still believe God I believe you're working all things for God and I fix my eyes on heaven God, I receive your vision God, I believe you worthy all things for God so we sing Come alive in the name of Jesus Come alive oh in the name of Jesus this is a house of miracle oh we bring everything to the feet of.
- [51:11]
Pastor Paul
Lord I pray for healing I pray for a dream of healing and victory and strength in Jesus name the devil is defeated.
- [51:28]
Worship Leader
Come come alive Come alive Come alive Come alive this is a house of miracles. And when he moves and when we pray we stood a wall now stands away where every promise is amen. And when he moves and when we pray we stood a wall now stands away where every promise is Amen.
- [52:11]
Pastor Paul
I was going to wait to share what happens with Jacob next week, but I just. I want to say it to someone today that may not be here next week. Jacob grieves for 22 years. But the day came about seven chapters later where the brothers had their moment of healing with Joseph. And they went back to their dad and they said, dad, he's still alive. Jacob couldn't believe it. He was overwhelmed. When they told him in verse 25 of Genesis 45, they said, you son is still alive. The son you thought was dead. The son you thought was lost is found. The son you thought was dead is still alive. In fact, God turned it all for good. He's now in a place, in a position I just speak this over someone in the room that you've been standing for, something that looks dead. The devil wants to whisper, finality wants to say, it's over, it's dead. We met with someone in prison this last week, that the story is still being written, and I can't even say who it was, but it's an important person in our state that's in prison. And as someone from our church went to minister to this person, the enemy just loves to hang that bloody coat in your face to say, it's over, it's done. And just a reminder to say, life is still worth living. God is not finished with you yet. You're not dead yet. And the calling that God has for you is not dead. God's going to use it in different ways. It might look different than it was before, it may not be where it was, but God is not finished with you. And this is a word that our church says to every person that comes to the if God's finished with somebody, there's no hope for any of us. But if we believe in the scriptures of Jesus Christ that his mercy and his grace is still alive for all of us today, that even when he looked at a criminal on a cross and said, I will see you one day with me in paradise, that Jesus speaks over you a better word, even though the blood of the goats was speaking a word of finality and condemnation and shame, God speaks a better word. And God's word speaks through the blood of Jesus, not the blood of goats, but the blood of a spotless lamb that says, you are forgiven, you are redeemed, you are a child of God and you are not done yet. I'm so thankful that God is not finished with your story. Just pray for this with me. Say, Jesus, I believe you died on the cross for my sins. You rose from the grave and I receive your forgiveness. I repent. I turn to you, God, I want your help. I want your dream for my life. Holy Spirit, help me to live the God dream. Your kingdom come, your will be done in my life as it is in heaven. And God, I thank you that you're not finished. And my best days are still in front of me. And I have victory in my life because Jesus lives in me. Come on.
- [55:12]
Congregation Member
If you believe it, say amen and amen.